Designboom_ Young media artist Liu Jiayu presents her latest artistic practice titled Waves of Code, an artwork generated after a discussion between the creative and ChatGPT. The artist’s research and practice in light and projection media over almost a decade have led to the realization that technology now shapes our experiences, serving as a somatosensory interface and main medium for information consumption. With electronic display screens and projector lenses being regarded as the main carrier media for viewing and reading information, the danger of the individual senses being forced and controlled by the industrial system is increased. Basing her research on the possibility of the elimination of human desire and unconscious existence suggested by Stigler from the perspective of Genesis, and Benjamin’s critique of the disappearance of the ‘spiritual halo’ in the age of mechanical reproduction, Jiayu attempts to break down this paradigm and creatively reshape it.

The artwork focuses on the exploration and excavation of the reflexivity of media from a new perspective. In a deeply poetic and philosophical approach, Jiayu investigates the materiality of media and technologies present in her work pushing them in different directions. The installation challenges in the era of digital technology, accentuating diverse narratives and evoking emotional responses. Waves of Code represents a new phase of the artist’s experimentation, stripping projection devices to their core elements – lenses and LED lights – creating a hypnotic simulation of sea reflections. The installation serves as a portal between real and virtual spaces, inviting viewers to reconsider their place within the universe.